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It has has finalised a Memorandum of Intent with ERTICO, the organisation for the European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination, a public-private partnership for the development of intelligent road systems.
Specifically, the ESA’s Navigation Directorate finalised the agreement at ESTEC, the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
Pictured above are ERTICO CEO Joost Vantomme (left) and ESA Director of Navigation Javier Benedicto (right) are with members of the ERTICO and ESA NAVISP teams.
In their own words, the goal of the agreement is to “explore space technology and services to improve the safety and reliability of assisted and automated vehicles on European roads and promote innovation in the sector”. For example, combining satnav with data from positioning sensors and AI to improve the accuracy and reliability of vehicle data.
Essentially, they identify a need for ubiquitous, precise, and reliable positioning, navigation, and timing information – PNT data, which is where the NAVISP programme comes in.
NAVISP
What is NAVISP (Navigation Innovation and Support Program)? With two hundred related projects already underway, ESA describes it as follows:
“NAVISP is divided into three elements, the first looking into improving and expanding satellite navigation, as well as establishing novel ‘positioning, navigation and timing’ (PNT) services. NAVISP’s second element focuses on innovation for competitiveness, developing all kinds of new PNT products and services. Its third element covers support to Member State priorities, including support for national testbeds and programmes.”
For example, the agency calculates that travel accounts for about 23% of global CO2 emissions, of which almost half (45%) are coming from cars and another 30% from trucks. Efficencies in this area could play a major role in reducing pollution levels.
“There is still much more to do in supporting the transition to safer and more sustainable traffic systems in the future, and today’s new cooperation effort helps make that possible,” said Rafael Lucas, Head of NAVISP’s Technicial Programme Office.
The UK one of 22 ESA Member States.
The national bodies responsible for space in these countries sit on ESA’s governing Council: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Canada also sits on the Council and takes part in some projects. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members. Finally, five other EU states have Cooperation Agreements with ESA: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta and Slovakia.
